KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) — The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) needs to build an ecosystem that supports enterprise creation and improves the environment for innovation, as well as facilitates financial inclusion for start-ups, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Ahmad Maslan said.

He said Malaysia recognises the vital role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in bringing new ideas to the market and fostering innovation.

Ahmad highlighted Malaysia’s initiatives for modernisation and automation of MSMEs, including focusing on the Soft Loan Scheme for Automation & Modernisation (SLSAM).

SLSAM seeks to encourage MSMEs in Malaysia to embrace automation and modernisation of their businesses.

“We further applaud the Philippines for putting the MSMEs at the forefront of its priorities this year, and we fully support the ‘APEC Iloilo Initiative’ which complements the ‘Boracay Action Agenda’ in promoting conducive policy,...

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E-commerce is another avenue to grow businesses, and both Malaysian and Chinese SMEs are taking advantage of it.

THE 12th China-Asean Expo (Caexpo) in Nanning, Guangxi province concluded on Monday (Sept 21), after four days of trading and business matching.

A billboard near the venue advertised: “You are just one handshake away from the market of 1.9 billion people,” referring to the combined pop­u­lation of 1.3 billion from China and 620 million from 10 Asean cou­ntries.

The Malaysian pavilion was the busiest at the Caexpo.

Visitors thronged the hall for the food and beverages, health and wellness products, lifestyle products and other services offered by the exhibitors.

While goods changed hands and meetings between potential partners took place under the Jalur Gemilang hanging from the hall ceiling, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were encouraged to give e-commerce a try.

International Trade and Industry Minister II Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, who opened the...

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BEIJING, Sept 9 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Tuesday opened its third office in China to further woo investments.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed, said the office, after Shanghai and Guangzhou, was to serve and facilitate Chinese investors amid their strong interests to invest in Malaysia.

He said the office would enhance MIDA’s efforts to attract Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia as well as act as a resources centre for interested companies looking for business and investment opportunities in Malaysia.

“China is a very important country for Malaysia and we hope the new office would further attract their investments,” he told reporters after officiating MIDA’s office here Tuesday.

Mustapa said the Chinese companies had strong presence in Malaysia’s construction industry as well as in property, manufacturing, services and ports.

He said Malaysia had seen an increase in investments...

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KUALA LUMPUR: Perbadanan Pembangunan Perdagangan Luar Malaysia (Matrade) menyasarkan untuk meningkat eksport barangan pertanian ke Turki tahun ini, diperkukuh oleh permintaan yang semakin meningkat ke atas buah-buahan tropika di negara itu.

Pesuruhjaya Perdagangan Matrade di Istanbul Idzham Abd Hamid berkata buah-buahan tropika seperti nanas, belimbing dan buah naga, mendapat permintaan tinggi di Turki.

Istanbul kini mengimport sebagaian besar buah-buahan tropika dari Belanda.

“Kita patut merebut peluang untuk mengeksport (lebih banyak) buah-buahan tropika kita ke negara itu,” katanya kepada pemberita di uar seminar Perjanjian Perdagangan Bebas (FTA) Malaysia-Turki, di sini, Rabu.

Eksport utama Malaysia ke Turki bagi tempoh Januari hingga Julai 2015 terdiri daripada barangan pertanian, dengan dagangan bagi segmen itu bernilai  RM386 juta, diikuti barangan pembuatan (RM1.2 bilion) dan barangan perlombongan  (RM3.3 juta).

Seminar bertema ‘Memanfaatkan FTA...

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NANNING, 20 Sept (Bernama) — Selepas China, Program Groom Big yang dikendalikan atas usaha sama Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI), MATRADE dan SIRIM, bakal memberi peluang kepada pengusaha Bumiputera untuk mengembangkan sayap mereka ke pasaran Timur Tengah dan Amerika Syarikat. Pengarah Pembangunan Perniagaan Bumiputera MITI Bahria Mohd Tamil berkata buat masa ini, sektor yang diberi fokus ialah produk berasaskan makanan halal. “Buat masa ini, memang kita mahu fokus pada makanan halal dahulu. Baru-baru ini, majlis ekspo kebangsaan memutuskan supaya produk halal diperkenalkan bagi meningkatkan eksport kita dalam usaha menangani situasi ekonomi semasa,” kata Bahria kepada media Malaysia di Ekspo China-ASEAN (CAEXPO) 2015. Beliau turut berharap dapat menambah penyertaan syarikat Bumiputera di bawah program ini ke CAEXPO tahun depan jika sambutan tahun ini menggalakkan. “Setakat hari pertama, sejumlah RM15,000 transaksi jualan tunai berjaya dikumpul, dan... Read More

Executive Director Roy Michael said that with over 600 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.4 trillion ringgit ($600 billion) in 2013, ASEAN is the seventh largest market.

“Should the trend continues, it has the potential to become the fourth largest market globally by 2050,” he added.

He told Bernama ASEAN recorded over $1.2 trillion in total merchandise exports, making it one of the most open economic regions in the world.

“Significant progress had been made in integrating the economies of the 10-member states under the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint which is expected to be a reality by year-end,” he said.

Michael was speaking after hosting the ASEAN-US Trade Winds Forum at the Malaysian embassy here on Wednesday. It was attended by American policy and industry leaders.

The half-day forum is a quarterly event hosted on rotation among ASEAN embassies here to increase understanding between American and ASEAN small and medium...

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18: The success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is crucial for ASEAN to be truly integrated, says Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

Lee said resilient SMEs should start to have a global mind-set.

“They should explore opportunities from liberalisation under the ASEAN Economic Community and expand their trade and investments,” he said at the launch of I-Score credit risk management tool.

The I-Score is co-developed by Rating Agency Malaysia Credit Info Sdn Bhd (RAMCI) with global information services company, Experian plc.

The tool, designed for financial institutions, business corporations and consumers, provides a comprehensive credit report ranking consumers, business partners and potential investors for credit risk.

Lee said SMEs could now use the tool to assess the strategies for their businesses if they intended to expand them.

“This will help address the challenges faced by SMEs to obtain...

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Asean countries are on track for progressive liberalisation of trade within the region, covering 128 sub-sectors via the Asean Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS).

The liberalisation will boost the services sector’s contribution to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 40% to 50%, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

He said AFAS will be a platform for services providers to take advantage of the market openings as well as to benefit from new ideas and processes arising out of the opening of the services sector.

Efforts has been put into concluding the AFAS 10th package by year-end to provide wider and better opportunities for members in tapping the benefits of the services sector,” he said in his opening address at the inaugural Asean Service Provider Confederation (ASPC) meeting yesterday.

His speech was read by Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) CEO Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud. Last year, Asean...

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BEIJING, Sept 9 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) on Tuesday opened its third office in China to further woo investments.

Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed, said the office, after Shanghai and Guangzhou, was to serve and facilitate Chinese investors amid their strong interests to invest in Malaysia.

He said the office would enhance MIDA’s efforts to attract Chinese companies to invest in Malaysia as well as act as a resources centre for interested companies looking for business and investment opportunities in Malaysia.

“China is a very important country for Malaysia and we hope the new office would further attract their investments,” he told reporters after officiating MIDA’s office here Tuesday.

Mustapa said the Chinese companies had strong presence in Malaysia’s construction industry as well as in property, manufacturing, services and ports.

He said Malaysia had seen an increase in investments...

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) — Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Malaysia from its ASEAN peers is expected to gain momentum with the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) becoming a reality from Dec 31 this year.

Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the sustained removal of barriers among the 10-member grouping, had led to an expansion in intra-ASEAN trade and investments, from US$1.22 billion in 2000 to US$24.4 billion in 2014.

“This accounts for 17.9 per cent of the total US$136.2 billion FDI inflows into the region last year,” he told reporters at the AEC Open Day here Monday.

Mustapa said similarly, intra-ASEAN trade accounted for 24 per cent of the total ASEAN trade or US$608 billion.

Meanwhile, ASEAN’s per capita income now stands at US$4,130 with intra-ASEAN trade expected to grow to 30 per cent by 2020.

He also said being the ASEAN Chairman this year, Malaysia wants to prepare local small and medium enterprises...

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